Two Pennies for Your Thoughts

I brace myself each time I flip open the mailbox or log on to my personal email account -- I know what's coming. Campaign season is upon us and like a swarm of locusts the donation requests from candidates for Alderman to Congressman to President have descended on every politically inclined person in America. The temptation to move to a desert island until November 5th is strong, but I have a feeling they'd find me: the finance committee for the modern campaign puts even the most aggressive college alumni network to shame.

If I can't escape it though, I'm going to use it to get my point across about something I care about very deeply: Clean Elections campaign reform. Every time I write a donation check to a candidate this year I'm going to put in my 2¢ in support of Clean Elections modeled programs -- literally. I will be adding .02 to every donation I make, and I invite anyone who supports Clean Elections and an end to big money politics to do the same.

Clean Elections is the model policy of voluntary, full public financing of elections that is already working in seven states and two cities in this country. A similar system has been proposed for congressional elections in the form of the Fair Elections Now Act, introduced by Sens. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) last year.

In a Clean Elections system, candidates are eligible to receive a public grant to run their campaign if they collect a set number of small-dollar "qualifying contributions" (ranging from $5-$100) from their supporters. No longer forced to spend half their time courting big check writers, they have more time to spend with the voters they seek to represent. Once in office they are accountable to their constituents and don't have to worry about crossing their donors' interests as they cast policy votes.

If you think that sounds like a much better way to run our elections, then I encourage you to join me in putting in your two cents of support whenever you make a political contribution this year. When candidates ask you for money, tell them if they want your support, they better come out in support of Clean Elections campaign reform.

Whether you make your donations online, by check, or over the phone add that 2¢ -- rest assured the finance staff for the campaign will notice an odd amount like that -- and, if the donation form you use includes a comment space be sure to explain that you've put in your 2¢ for Clean Elections. You can read a little more about this campaign and also report any 2¢ donations right here.

In the mad dash for cash that will consume campaigns from now through November, the emphasis is going to be on collecting checks from the wealthiest donors and money-drenched special interests. Let's see if a lot of us, with just a tiny bit of money, can demand an end to this lopsided system. I'll be adding my 2¢. Will you?